Partners

Categorising artificial creatures in a matrix based on robotic nature and subjectification seems very intuitive. There are creatures that consists of parts that sense and are constructed in a way that allows the to generate a from of output based on the stimuli that it senses. On the other hand there are creatures that do not sense at all and are unable to generate outputs to react to the potential stimuli that surround them. In this model 'spot' is a robot, but a mug is not.

The other dimension, subjectification, differentiates objects that we do not project emotions and intentions on from the ones that we do. As straightforward as that seems categorising a creature, robotic or not, as an object or subject depends on our perception of the feelings of the creature. Unfortunately it is very easy to mix up the way a creature makes us feel and our interpretation of how a creature feels. The warm feeling you might get from your grandma's pocket knife is not the same as being convinced that the pocket knife has the same fuzzy feeling when it senses you.

Since 2017 I have had the honour to work with a very special partner: my laptop. I sometimes forget all the things we have been through. The languages we learned, the countries we visited, in a way even our near breakup when it ignored me for a couple of days seems like one of those distance but necessary fights. If you would ask me wether my partner is a robot I'd say no. Even though it can sense the lighting in the room and recognise me by my fingerprint, it lacks a more mechanical means of reacting to those stimuli. I do not only feel a certain way about my partner but can also sense the emotional state of it. At times it is energised, at times it is sceptical. They day of our fight it was definitely tired, maybe even mad. I should have been less demanding for sure. To me my laptop is a non robot that I subjectify.

A bystander might shake their head. To them the adjustment of brightness and secrecy unless I provide my fingerprint are a clear sign that my laptop does respond to stimuli. A lot of robots and automatons are based on mechanical movement, but is that a strict requirement? My laptop might act up in their eyes but does not seem to feel anything at all. It is more of a robot that they do not subjectify. Unless you have strong opinions or what my laptop is, or is not, this artificial creature matrix might suddenly not seem so straightforward as before.